Bio-Diesel

Bio-Diesel – The World Could Run on McGas

Today’s vehicles are powered by two main fuel sources: gasoline and diesel. There are a few vehicles that are powered by propane, but their use is becoming much less common as the emissions of propane powered engines are difficult to keep within legal levels. The rising cost of gasoline and diesel, however, has many consumers seeking alternative options.

One such option that is gaining popularity due to recent publicity is bio-diesel. Bio-diesel is essentially a product of raw vegetables. This is the same oil that you can find in the fryers of every McDonalds in the world. In fact, after a few simple steps, the vegetable oil from McDonald’s fryers could be turned into fuel grade bio-diesel.

Bio-diesel is made from renewable resources, thereby removing a large portion of the expense as there is no lack of supply. It has lower emissions than petroleum based diesel, and the entire bio-diesel process, from manufacturing to distribution, can take place fully in North America, removing the dependence on foreign economies for petroleum supplies.

Media Buzz about Bio-Diesel

You may have seen a recent MythBusters cable television episode where the show harvested vegetable oil from a local fast food restaurant, purified and filtered it, and then used it to run an old Mercedes turbo-diesel car. There has been a lot of speculation from many different people regarding the plausibility of that MythBusters episode.

Yes, a regular turbo-diesel car can run bio-diesel with little to no modifications. Bio-diesel burns in a similar way as petroleum-based diesel, though it creates lower emissions and harmful byproducts.

The sensationalized possibilities of bio-diesel fuel in the media have created a lot of interest in this old but still viable fuel source. Proponents of bio-diesel say that it is a renewable, clean burning, and cost effective fuel source. There is certainly no disputing the many advantages of bio-diesel.

However, many people offer criticism based on the fact that the production of bio-diesel is currently small time, and that are great amount of energy must actually go into the purification of it. However, these shortcomings can be overcome with the right amount of time and due diligence.

Vehicles run on bio-diesel achieve similar mileage to vehicles which are run on conventional diesel. The economy, combined with the low emissions, make bio-diesel a fuel source that many automakers are beginning to take seriously.